The preliminary estimated resident population (ERP) of Australia at 31 March 2005 was 20,281,400 persons, an increase of 230,300 persons (1.1%) since 31 March 2004 and 71,400 persons since 31 December 2004.

Preliminary natural increase during the March quarter 2005 was 31,200 persons, a 5.7% decrease on the March quarter 2004.

Preliminary net overseas migration was 40,100 persons during the March quarter 2005, an increase of 13.2% on the March quarter 2004.

POPULATION GROWTH RATES

The Australian population grew by 0.4% during the March quarter 2005 and 1.1% in the 12 months ended March 2005. Natural increase and net overseas migration contributed 52.2% and 47.8% respectively to Australia's total population growth in the year ended March 2005.

During the March quarter 2005 all states and territories experienced positive population growth.

Positive population gains for all states and territories were also recorded for the 12 months ended March 2005. Queensland recorded the largest gain (2.0% or 76,900 persons) and the Australian Capital Territory recorded the lowest (0.4% or 1,200 persons).

NOTES

FORTHCOMING ISSUES

ISSUE (QUARTER)

Release Date

June 2005

9 December 2005

September 2005

21 March 2006

December 2005

5 June 2006

March 2006

21 September 2006

June 2006

7 December 2006

INTRODUCTION

Estimated resident population (ERP) data in this publication are based on the 2001 Census of Population and Housing. Exceptions are tables 17, 18 and 19 (excluding 2001 estimates), which are based on the 1996 Census of Population and Housing.

At any point in time this publication contains final, revised and preliminary ERP data. The status of the ERP data included in this issue is as follows:

Final - All ERP data up to and including June quarter 2001

Revised - ERP data from September quarter 2001 to June quarter 2004, inclusive

Preliminary - ERP data from September quarter 2004 to March quarter 2005, inclusive.

INTERSTATE MIGRATION DECEMBER QUARTER 2004

The Health Insurance Commission (HIC) has provided the ABS with replacement change of address data used to estimate interstate migration for December quarter 2004, and the revised estimates have been included in this issue. See paragraph 10 of the Explanatory Notes for more detail.

DATA NOT YET AVAILABLE

Progress is continuing with the review of annual household estimates methodology. See tables 17, 18 and 19. A new methodology has been proposed and is currently being assessed. Implementation details will be made available once this assessment is complete.

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Rachael Hill on Canberra (02) 6252 6296.

MAIN FEATURES

INTRODUCTION

The preliminary estimated resident population (ERP) of Australia at 31 March 2005 was 20,281,400 persons, an increase of 230,300 (1.1%) since 31 March 2004 and 71,400 (0.4%) since 31 December 2004. The annual population growth rate (1.1%) was consistent with levels recorded in previous years.

COMPONENTS OF AUSTRALIA'S POPULATION CHANGE

The growth of Australia's population has two components: natural increase (the number of births minus the number of deaths) and net overseas migration (net permanent and long-term movement).

Natural increase

Natural increase for the March quarter 2005 was 31,200 persons, a decrease of 5.7% from the number recorded in the March quarter 2004. This decrease is due to fewer births and deaths (down 5.2% and 4.7% respectively). The number of births registered during the March quarter 2005 was 60,200, while the number of deaths registered was 28,900.

Natural increase for the year ended 31 March 2005 was 120,300 persons, contributing 52.2% to Australia's annual population growth. During this period, births added 251,900 babies to the population and deaths removed 131,600 persons.

The preliminary births estimates presented in this publication indicate that there has been a slight increase in the number of births over recent calendar years. However, due to the collection and estimation method applied to produce these statistics users should exercise caution when analysing and interpreting the most recent annual and quarterly births estimates, particularly when making time series comparisons. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) recommends users refer toBirths, Australia (cat. no. 3301.0) for analysis of fertility trends over time. See paragraph 7 of the Explanatory Notes for more detail.

Net overseas migration

For the March quarter 2005 net overseas migration was 40,100 persons, an increase of 13.2% from the March quarter 2004 (35,500 persons).

For the year ended 31 March 2005 net overseas migration (110,000 persons) contributed 47.8% to Australia's population growth.

The ABS applies a number of adjustments to the overseas arrivals and departures data used to produce estimates of net overseas migration (NOM). These mainly comprise adjustments designed to reflect differences between stated travel intentions and actual travel behaviour, but (in the case of revised NOM estimates) also include adjustments to transform numbers of overseas movements into numbers of travellers. These are collectively referred to as 'migration adjustments'. For more information see the Technical Note - Measuring Net Overseas Migration.

During the March quarter 2005 there were 123,300 permanent and long-term arrivals and 83,100 permanent and long-term departures after migration adjustments.

STATES AND TERRITORIES

Population

Populations for the states and territories at 31 March 2005 were as follows: New South Wales 6,764,600, Victoria 5,012,700, Queensland 3,945,800, South Australia 1,540,200, Western Australia 2,003,800, Tasmania 484,700, Northern Territory 201,800, and the Australian Capital Territory 325,100.

During the March quarter 2005 Western Australia's population exceeded 2 million persons. This milestone was reached with a growth rate of 0.5% (9,800 persons) from the December quarter 2004. Net overseas migration was the largest contributor to Western Australia's population during this quarter (57.9%), followed by natural increase and net interstate migration.

Consistent with the amendments to the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, estimates of the population of each of the Other and External Territories are listed separately in table 7 of this publication. The populations of the Other Territories continue to be included in the Australian totals presented in other tables (see paragraph 2 of the Explanatory Notes).

Growth rates

All states and territories recorded positive population growth during the March quarter 2005. Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory recorded the highest growth (0.5%), followed by Victoria (0.4%), South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory (0.3%), and Tasmania and New South Wales (0.2%).

Similarly, all states and territories recorded positive growth rates for the year ended 31 March 2005. The highest annual growth was recorded by Queensland (2.0%), followed by Western Australia (1.6%), the Northern Territory (1.3%), Victoria (1.2%), New South Wales (0.7%), Tasmania (0.6%) and South Australia (0.5%). The lowest growth rate was recorded by the Australian Capital Territory (0.4%).

Interstate migration

During the March quarter 2005 Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania recorded net interstate migration gains, while the remaining states and territories recorded net losses.

Interstate migration was the largest contributor (43.3%) to Queensland's annual population growth during the year ended 31 March 2005, with a gain of 33,300 persons. Net gains were also recorded for Western Australia (1,600 persons) and Tasmania (260 persons). New South Wales lost the largest number of persons through interstate migration (-26,900 persons), followed by South Australia (-3,900 persons), Victoria (-2,400 persons), the Australian Capital Territory (-1,600) and the Northern Territory (-320 persons).